Trident mis-fire: SNP lawmaker says Theresa May probably didn't know

The politician, whose partly ardently opposes Trident, was speaking to talkRADIO after the Sunday Times claimed that an unarmed missile from the nuclear programme veered off course in June during a test.

This was just weeks before a Commons vote on the future of the nuclear programme, yet it appears to have been covered up.

MacNeil, the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, told Julia Hartley-Brewer that he believes Theresa May "didn’t want to display her own ignorance" when questioned about the debacle.

He added that, although there is little evidence of a conspiracy, this is nonetheless "deeply embarrassing" for the Prime Minister.

MacNeil added that "if you have nuclear weapons for long enough" eventually someone will use them. Donald Trump could decide to use them, and someone like him "is going to come along every 100, 200 to 300 years."